Fire-alarm.



P. PRANEK.

FIRE ALARM. APPLICATION FILED JAN.10,1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

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ammo L F. Frarzek RN JWN FRANK FRANEK, 0]? CHUGWATER, WYOMING.

FIRE-ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

Application filed January 10, 1914. Serial No. 811,381.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK FRANEK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chugwater, in the county of Platte and State of Wyoming,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Alarms; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription ofthe invention, such as willenable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same. i

The primary object of this invention is to provide an automatic firealarm which operates by the burningofa combustible memher to close anelectric circuit, said alarm being of extremely simple and practicalconstruction.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide in afire alarm system a circuit closer comprising a pair of stationarycontact arms to be engaged by a pair of spring contact arms; said lastmentioned arms being normally held from contact with the stationary armby a celluloid ball carrying a wick.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel featuresof construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawings. in which Figure 1is a side elevation of my fire alarm, partly in section, and Fig. 2 is adetail view illustrating one of the binding posts.

Referring in detail to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a block ofnon-conducting material, such as hard rubber, which may be mounted on abase 2, and which carries a pair of metallic contact arms 3 and 4 havinglaterally projecting flanges 5 formed on their inner ends through whichextend the fastening members 6. The arms extend outwardly for a distanceat right angles to the base and parallel to each other, are thenextended towardeach other, and terminate in spaced parallel portions 7.A pair of metallic spring contact arms 8 and 9 having angularlyextending flanges 10 formed on their inner ends are secured to the basebetween the arms 3 and 4 and project outwardly between the parallelportions 7 of the stationary arms in opposed relation thereto.

A sphere 11 of celluloid or some other readily combustible material is.provided to draw the arms 8 and 9 toward each other away from contactwith the stationary arms 3 and 4. This sphere is .hollow and is providedwith diametrically opposed openings 12 and 13 through which the arms 8and 9 extend. The outer terminals of the arms are bent laterally inopposite directions, as indicated by the numeral 14, to engage the outersurface of the sphere and hold it against movement from engagement withthe contact arm. A wick 15 of any desired length extends through opposedopenings 16 and insures a destruction of the sphere should a fire occurin its vicinity by conducting the flame into engagement therewith.

The stationary arms and the spring arms may be connected in an electriccircuit for the purpose of sounding an alarm when the sphere 11 isdestroyed in various ways, and for the purpose of illustration 1 haveshown a source of current 17, connected to the arm 3 by a wire 18. Awire 19 connects the arms 8 and 9, and wires 20 and 21 and a bell 22complete the circuit. A binding post having a pair of forks or parallelarms 23 and a threaded stem 24 is soldered to each of the contact arms3, 4, 8 and 9 so that the wires may be easily connected thereto by useof nuts 25. 26 designates a casing secured to the base 2 and inclosing aportion of the circuit closer or alarm.

From the foregoing description taken. in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be seen that should a tire occur in thevicinity of the alarm. the sphere 11 will be destroyed, allowing thespring arms 8 and 9 to engage the parallel portions 7 of the arms 3 andl and complete the electric circuit, thereby causing the bell 22 toring. A new sphere may be easily positioned by sliding the same over theextended portion 4 of the arms 8 and 9 so as to draw them toward eachother and break the circuit.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction,combination and arrangement to each other, a pair of spring contact armssecured to the base and projecting therefrom between the first mentionedarms, a combustible element connected to the spring arms to hold themfrom engagement with the stationary arms, and a wick connected to thecombustible element.

3. in a fire alarm, anon-conducting base, a pair of stationary contactarms secured to said base and projecting therefrom in spaced relation toeach other, a pair of spring contact arms secured to the base andextending between the stationary arms for engagement therewith whenreleased, a hollow sphere formed with opposed openings through which thespring arms project, whereby they are held from engagement with thestation ary arms and an electric circuit to be closed by contact of thestation arms with the spring arms.

4. In a fire alarm, a non-conducting base, a pair of stationary armssecured thereto, said arms projecting at right angles to the base for aportion of their length and then converging toward each other, a .pairof spring arms secured to the base and extending between the stationaryarms for engagement therewith, a hollow sphere of combustible materialhaving opposed openings through which the spring arms extend, wherebythey are held from contact with the stationary arms, a wick connected tothe combustible sphere and an electric circuit having alarm mechanism,said circuit being closed by engagement of the spring contact arms withthe stationary contact arms.

. In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK 'FRANEK.

Witnesses:

W. FRED Consumes, J. K. Hocnmu.

